Managing HDR/SDR transitions

A new SDR to HDR conversion toolset is being launched by Ericsson that is designed to enable broadcasters to meet the complex requirements of delivering a consistent, high-quality HDR live TV service.

According to the company, if an HDR live channel is transmitting a mix of HDR and SDR content – such as SDR advertising, interstitials or news inserts – on an HDR TV in HDR mode, the SDR content will be incorrectly displayed.

Relying on the television to switch modes between HDR to SDR to HDR has significant quality risks, Ericsson claims.

The newly launched Ericsson solution is introduced during encoding in the head end. It uses a process known as inverse tone mapping, which rebalances the chroma and luma of the SDR content, so it can be shown back-to-back with HDR content, without any need for the HDR TV to switch.

Using Ericsson’s new ITM algorithm in the head end encoders means HDR service providers have full control over displaying both SDR and HDR and is less disruptive than having to deploy a new generation of third-party set-top boxes.